FARGO, N.D. — Minnesota has not been asked to send its National Guard troops to patrol the border with Mexico.

President Donald Trump has said he plans to ask up to 4,000 National Guard troops to help secure the border and prevent illegal immigration.

Neither Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton nor North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum have been asked to send troops to the southern border, but both governors have consulted with their adjutants general about the possibility.

Burgum, a Republican, said he is willing to send North Dakota troops if asked, but noted that other states are closer.

“The governors of states along the border are in the best position to assess if National Guard troops are needed to help secure the border, and the majority of them have welcomed the president’s announcement,” Burgum said in a statement Friday.

“We support them,” Burgum added, “and if North Dakota is asked to send National Guard soldiers to assist, we will answer the call. From historic floods to more recent events, we North Dakotans know from experience how critical it is for states to support each other in times of need.”

Matt Swenson, deputy chief of staff for Dayton, a Democrat, said the Minnesota governor has been in contact with Jon Jensen, the Minnesota National Guard’s adjutant general, to assess the possibility of border deployment.

Initial reports indicate the border protection mission will initially involve Guard units from four southern border states, and thus would not affect Minnesota, Swenson said in a statement.

“Governor Dayton and General Jensen will be closely monitoring these developments and anticipate receiving official notifications from federal authorities, at which time the governor expects to have sufficient information to be able to comment further,” Swenson said.

Burgum has been in contact with Maj. Gen. Alan Dohrmann, adjutant general of the North Dakota National Guard, and the Guard has not received any notifications regarding deployment to the U.S.-Mexico border, spokesman Mike Nowatzki said.

But North Dakota Guard troops have in the past provided air, ground and engineering support along the southwest border during multiple deployments under President Barack Obama and President George Bush, Nowatzki said.

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